Barrel, forearm and receiver assembly mechanism for shotguns



March 4, 1958 2,825,170

BARREL, EOREARM AND RECEIVER ASSEMBLY MECHANISM FOR sHpTGUNs E. F. SIMMONS f Filed Dec. 2. 1954 J mm. wm @am ,m m. A M. ELV.. B.

States Patent hice 2,825,170 Patented Mar. 4, 1958 BARREL, FOREARM AND RECEIVER ASSEMBLY I'VECHANISM FR SHTGUNS This invention relates to new and useful improvements in Shotguns, and has particular reference to the mechanism by means of which the barrel and forearm of the gun are detachably secured to the receiver portion of the gun.

In Shotguns the barrel is ordinarily secured detachably to the receiver in order that it may be disassembled therefrom so that the gun may be stored in a shorter space for convenience in storage and transportation. In at least one typical gun, the barrel is secured in the gun receiver by a rotatably detachable connection such as a threaded joint, and is provided with a radially extending xed arm. The forearm of the gun carries a take-down screw which threads into said arm, whereby both to secure the forearm to the barrel-receiver assembly, and to securethe barrel against accidental rotation. Also, said take-down screw may be provided with a smooth extension which projects into a socket formed in a part rigidly associated with the receiver, whereby the assembly is rendered still more rigid.

A disadvantage of this arrangement has been that with the barrel disassembled from the gun, there is nothing for the take-down screw to engage, the arm normally engaged thereby being attached to the barrel, so that the forearm cannot be retained in assembly with the receiver. This assembly is desirable, for the purposes of decreasing the number of pieces of the gun when the barrel is detached, protecting the forearm, which is normally wooden, against damage, and in an automatic gun of the split-chamber type, to protect the chamber member from damage.` Said chamber member is relatively thin-walled and delicate, and projects forwardly from the receiver after the barrel has been removed. The forearm partially encloses and protects this chamber.

The principal objectof this invention is, therefore, the provision in a gun of this type of means for securing the forearmV to the receiver independently of its connection to the barrel.A

- Another object V-is the provisionA of a securing means of the general character described which engages the take-down screw to hold the forearm and which is entirely automatic, but which at the same time will not interfere in any way with the normal threaded engagement of said screw with the barrel arm.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, efficiency and dependability of operation, and adaptability to be applied to pre-existing guns with a minimum of alteration.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, longitudinal mid-sectional View of a shot gun embodying the present invention, with parts left in elevation and partially broken away.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional views taken respectively on lines lI-II, III- III and iV--IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 4.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral 2 applies to the receiver or body portion of the shotgun, said receiver being shown only fragmentarily. The gun barrel 4 is detachably connected at its rearward end into the re? ceiver, as -by threaded connection 6. Said threads may be standard, but more commonly are of the bayonet type, so that full engagement thereof is obtained by only a partial revolution of the barrel about its axis. A tubular chamber member 8 is mounted in and carried by the receiver, ybut extends forwardly into the rearward portion of the barrel as shown, and extends forwardly from the receiver when the barrel is detached. It isi adapted to carry a shell 10 in ring position. Additional shells 10 are carried in a magazine tube 12 disposed beneath vand parallel to barrel 4, and secured rigidly at its rearward end into the receiver. The shells in said magazine are urged rearwardly into the receiver by a follower cup 14 slidable in the magazine tube and urged rearwardly by a compression spring 16 disposed in said tube, said spring abutting at its rearward end against said cup and at its forward end against a cylin der plug 18 closing the forward end of said tube and through smd plug and tube, as best shown in Fig. 2.

The shells fed from the magazine tube to the receiverA are elevated successively to firing position in chamber 8 by a mechanism not shown and forming. no part of the present invention.

An arm 22 is welded or otherwise rigidly fixed to barrel 4, and extends radially downwardly therefro'min spaced apart relation from the forward end of magazine tube l2. A forearm 24, which is usually wooden, encloses the magazine tube and extends forwardly therefrom. Said forearm is provided with a longitudinal bore 26 which fits slidably over the magazine tube, the forearm being slid rearwardly over the tube from the forward end thereof. Said forearm has a slot 28 formed longitudinally therein between bore 26 and the top thereof, whereby to permit passage of the forearm over barrel arm 22. The rearward end of the forearm abuts the forward end of the receiver in a tongue-and-groove' forearm 24. Said screw is provided at its forward endv with a knurled head 34 which cooperates with the forf: ward .end of ythe forearm, alock washer -36 being interposed therebetween. Adjacent its rearward end, the threaded portion 33 of the screw is adapted to be threaded into a tapped bore provided therefor in barrel arm 22. A snap ring 4t2 engaged in a groove 42 formed peripherally in the screw just forwardly of its threaded portion serves to prevent accidental forward withdrawal of the screw from the forearm. The extreme rearward end portion 44 of the screw-rod is of reduced diameter and ts slidably into a bore 46 formed therefor in plug 18 of the magazine tube. It is disposed eccentrically above the axis of said plug, and engages a notch 48 (Fig. 2) formed in the upper edge of pin 20, whereby to prevent accidental movement of said pin.

The rearward portion of screw-rod 32 has a V-shaped groove Si) formed peripherally therein within plug 18. Said plug has a narrow slot 52 formed transversely therein. As best shown in Fi-g. 3, said slot extends approximately half way through the plug, and intersects leg S8 bears against the base of slot 52 andinnthetgroove StFoffthe screwerodrr; i,

Whenzthe:.gurris ifullyf assembled as: shown,L the engager-.- mentwof'atakez-.down.screw132 in barrel arm; 22 urges-fore--.

arm24rrearward rmlyagainstnthe.receiver. Also, the barrel-is :therebyl locked positively ,against rotation,r so thatfthenbarrelfcannot. besaturnedztoifreeit from ythe re ceivern. To u'emovef-.the;barre1y. the..op.erator firstr turns thet knurledi-:head'z34'\ofrtakefdownscrew 32 sufficiently toatdisengagesthe Vthreaded. ,portion 38 thereof t from. bar.- relzjarm 22,.:.aftenfwhich-.tlre forearm I24 vis slid forwardly otf-.ofgrthe;srmagazinel;tube;` The..barrel .may then be.

rotatedfto; disengagetpthe lthreaded connection 6 thereof; fram;theiwreeeiver..lv Tofreassernble.. the forearm with the s receiver, ,thexfbore Ziof the; forearm .is slid. over maga-...

wardly-.g-toiorceA the-rearwardz endportion 44 thereof into.=bore;46 ofplugliv The forward endv ofthe takedownfscrewis:taperedtofacilitate. its entry past spring take-.downscrew--tending to-prevent loosening vof said..

screw by shaking or vibration.

Althoughg'have -shown'tand `described a specific .em-

boldmentrotmy invention-it will .bereadily apparent'. thatrmanyminorchanges of: structure. and operation could..

bemadewithout departing fromthe; spirit of.` the. inven:

tiontas definedV by thescope of the appended claims.-

WhaL-I claimasf-new.and.desire, to protectby Letters" Patent ist.l

1..InaV .-shotgurn: the Vcombination of a receiver, a

removable fbarreLconnected ,atits rearward end in saidl receiver-bya rotatablydetachable connection, a maga.

zineftubefxedf-in; said-receiver and extending forwardly beneathfandeparallel.tosaid barrel, an armiixed to saidl barrel...and-extendingdownwardly therefrom adjacent; theforwardend. of..said magazine tube, a forearm slid-.r

ablyl engaged` ovensaid.magazine'tuba the rearwardl end of said forearm abutting said receiver,-. andthe forward t.

endgrthereofextending forwardly f of said magazine tube andrbeing recesseddo :receive said arm, a take-down;l

screw-parallelle the. ban-el and carried for free vrota;.. tionalfmovement lin 1he.forwar.d extensionof saidfore-.

arm', a -threaded.,portionojsaid screwwbeing engageable'f-Y in-.said .flarm/ wherebyato.: urge said, forearm :rearwardly f and'to secure saidv barrel against rotation, said takedown screw hayingga.. rearward extension projecting within said magazine tube, and means carried by said magazine tube and operable to engage said take-down screw extension to retain the forearm in abutting relationship with respect to the receiver when said barrel has been removed from the receiver.'

2. The structure as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid.

means operable to engagesaidv take-down -screw exten-H sion comprises'a spring detent supported by said magazine tube andengageablein aV groove formedpperipherally` inf;

said extension.'

3. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means .operable ,to .engage said take-down screw eXtension comprises a spring detent supported by said magazine tube and engageableina groove formed peripherally in said extension, the wall of said groove engaged by said detent being taperingly enlarged in diameter toward the, rear, whereby-said detent serves. .to urge-said :takedown screw rearwardly. Y

4.flf'he.structureasisetjorthin ,claim l havingya plug; closing thev forward end of said magazine tube and see'. cured therein, and having a socket formed thereinffor receivingthe rearward extension of said take-down screw slidably` therein,: and a transverse 4-slot formed .therein intersectingsaid socket; said extension having a periphf eral groove formed therein within said socketinregisfi tering relation with said slot, and wherein'the means, engageable V with said extension comprises a.generally:\ V-shapedspring ldisposed in said slot, one leg-ofsaid. spring. engaging said .magazine tube and the yotherfleg beinggurged Ainto Asaidv socket, to engage in .thegroove-:of

saidscrew extension.

5.. The structure .asset forth yinclaiml having. a plug.; closinggthe. -forward end .of said. magazinetube :and 4secured-- therein,.andfhaving a socket :formed therein for receiving the. rearward .extension'of said takeedownscrew' slidably therein,.and aftransverseslot formed thereinintersectirigsaidsocket,-saidextension having a periph. eral groove formed therein-within said socket in regis. tering relation with said slot, and'wherein the means engageab1e=with said extension comprises a generally V-shaped spring disposed in said, slot, one leg of said. springiengaging said magazine tube and the.,other, leg` being urged into said socket to engage. in the groove of said screw extension, said groove being V-shaped in` cross-.r

section andy said .springbeing positioned ,to .engage :ther: rearward wall of. said groove, whereby lto urge-said :takefY down screwrearwardly.

References Citedvin thele-ofthispatent..

UNITED`STATES PATENTS 406,032. Davenport.; July-2,1889, 2,455,608 Rosengren Dec. .7, 1948. 2,610,426... Emerson Sept. 16,. ,1952 

